How To Replace A Miter Saw Blade – Ultimate Guide

It is not as hard as it sounds or seems. Replacing the blades on these power tool marvels takes some know-how and patience. Below you will learn how to go about changing miter saw blades, which will be accompanied by a removal example with an actual 10-inch bladed saw to grant you a sharper picture of how to accomplish blade replacements or removals with specific miter saws.

The owner’s manual should let you know what kind of blade you need going with your miter power saw. In order to get even and clean cuts you need to keep the blade fresh, which makes timely changing a necessity than a luxury.

When do you make the change?

When you see too many burn marks or high amounts of chipping on the material, you know that it is time for a change.

How long will it take?

A few tools, a few minutes.

Miter Saw Blade Removal – Step-By Step Guide

An important preliminary step is to make sure the miter saw is disconnected from any power outlets. Squeeze the trigger a handful of times to double check that the right power button was turned.

Take Out The Blade Guard

You move on to the screws holding the blade guard – the protective cover for the blade – to the saw chassis. Loosen those screws and move the blade guard up with your hands. Keep them out of the way for your next task.

Miter saws have a spindle lock mechanism that grips the blade in place and keeps it from rotating. Pressing the lock lets go of the blade. The lock (usually a small black button) is usually located at the rear or front of the saw housing.

At this time, you can also make sure the lock is working properly. When the button is flat and all the way down, the blade is locked. When the button pops up and out, the blade is unlocked.

Take Out The Blade

An Allen wrench will be the perfect tool for this task. The bolt does an excellent job of linking the blade and saw body. Use the wrench to turn the blade in a clockwise direction until you have satisfactorily loosened it.

You will then notice the blade’s outer washer. It too needs to go, and you can use your fingers to take it out safely. Bear in mind that there is an inner washer as well. Do not touch it; let the inner washer be where it is.

Replacing The Blade

Take this moment to once again seek guidance from the owner’s manual. Being the important step that this is, the last thing you want is to make a mistake that will cost you time and money.

The manufacturer will usually have crisp instructions on how to replace the saw and what other blades are compatible. The replacement process varies a bit among brands.

The inner and outer washers could do with some oil. Use a washcloth to fulfil this need and use small drops of oil on both washers; these washers touch the miter saw blade directly.

What does the earlier step do? It brings ample lubrication to the saw. This means a miter saw with a properly functioning blade.

When you install the new blade, keep the teeth facing down. Mistakes during this step can lead to serious injury; safety cannot be stressed enough. Wear needed protective gear, especially industry grade gloves.

Once the miter blade is in place, you will notice the lock button sink back down to confirm a successful grip.

Put the outer washer back on; remember that you did not remove the inner washer. Tighten it with your fingers.

Next, the bolt has to find its place. A counter clockwise turn with the Allen wrench will refasten the bolt as needed. The blade has to be tight or things can get risky during work sessions.

Take your screwdriver and reinstall the blade guard. Lower it to see if it adequately covers the new miter blade like it did the old one.

Blade-Removal Product Example– Ryobi 10” TS254 Power Miter Saw

Irrespective of the Ryobi model you purchased, blade replacements follow the same pattern for these particular miter saws. Several other saws mirror the same process usually comprising a spindle lock button that grips the blade and keeps it from rotating, and the bolt that holds the blade in place.

Stay safe and unplug the saw from the power outlet. Try the trigger and if the blade moves wait for it to stop.

If the blade arm happens to be down, push down slightly so some of the tension is released. This frees the blade arm lock pin and makes things easy to release the arm by pulling out the pin. The arm can move up now.

Start on the lower blade guard, and turn it upward. You will spot a Phillips-head screw latching the bolt cover in position. Rotate the cover up and out of the way once you have loosened the screw. You will then see a hex-head blade bolt.

Target the spindle lock button, and rotate the bolt until the lock is fully engaged. This veritably ceases blade bolt rotation; a safety step.

Use a 10 or 12 mm combination wrench to loosen the blade bolt. Keep in mind that Ryobi bolts are left hand threaded; the opposite of traditional threading in power miter saws.

Turn the bolt clockwise, loosen, and remove. Note the outer washer’s position before taking it out as well.

Do not remove the inner washer but rather apply a couple of oil drops to it. If an inner washer is missing, replace it as soon as possible before continuing with your blade replacement.

Take the new blade in hand and slide it up past the lower blade guard. Have it go on the blade spindle.

Let the blade teeth point down. Hopefully, your blade has rotation markers to indicate the blade’s direction of rotation. This certainly helps with proper installation.

Press the lock button in so the spindle gets locked. Screw the bolt back in place; tighten it counter-clockwise. Follow this up with blade bolt cover and screw re-installations.

Finally, you will need to check the measure. Use a combination square to confirm that the blade is angled squarely with the saw table and saw fence.